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Item No. 1.
MEETING DATE: 05/16/2022
 
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR/CHAIR  AND COUNCILMEMBERS/DIRECTORS
 
FROM: JIM SADRO, CITY MANAGER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
By:  Elias Saykali, Public Works Director
 
SUBJECT:
APPROVE A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA AND THE LA HABRA UTILITY AUTHORITY DECLARING AND IMPLEMENTING A LEVEL 2 WATER SUPPLY SHORTAGE CONDITION

RECOMMENDATION:


That the City Council and Utility Authority APPROVE AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. ____ ENTITLED:  A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA AND THE LA HABRA UTILITY AUTHORITY DECLARING AND IMPLEMENTING A LEVEL 2 WATER SUPPLY SHORTAGE CONDITION.

DISCUSSION:

On March, 28, 2022, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-7-22 (Order) in an effort to help the State achieve its water conservation goals and ensure sufficient water for essential indoor and outdoor use. The Order directs the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to consider adopting emergency regulations that include:
  • Requiring urban water suppliers to submit a preliminary, annual water supply and demand assessment no later than June 1, 2022, and submit a final, annual water supply and demand assessment to the Department of Water Resources no later that July 1, 2022;
  • Implementing, at a minimum, the demand reduction actions identified in the supplier's water shortage contingency plan (WSCP) adopted under Water Code 10632 for a shortage level of up to twenty percent (Level 2);
  • Prohibiting the irrigation of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, institutional sites, and homeowners' associations.  Non-functional turf means turf that is solely ornamental and not used for human recreational purposes or for civic or community events.  Non-functional turf does not include sports fields and turf that is regularly used for human recreational purposes or for civic or community events.  The use of water is not prohibited to the extent necessary to ensure the health of trees and other perennial non-turf plantings or to the extent necessary to address an immediate health and safety need.
Implementation of the City's WSCP Level 2 shortage level will trigger demand reduction actions.  Most notably:
  • Irrigation shall be limited to three days per week.  Plant containers, trees, shrubs, and vegetable gardens may be watered additional days using only drip irrigation or hand watering;
  • Filling or refilling ornamental lakes and ponds is prohibited unless they sustain aquatic life of significant value and were actively managed prior to the shortage declaration;
  • Customers must repair leaks, breaks, and malfunctions within 4 days.
As directed by the Order, the SWRCB is preparing text for the operative conservation provisions of the emergency regulation.  A working draft was provided to staff on April 20, 2022.  The draft directs each urban water supplier to implement, at a minimum, a shortage level of up to twenty percent (Level 2) no later than June 10, 2022.  Furthermore, additional drought response actions within the draft, prohibit the use of potable water for the irrigation of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, institutional, and homeowners' associations.  Final text of the emergency regulation is anticipated to be provided by mid-May, 2022.
 

FISCAL IMPACT/SOURCE OF FUNDING:

There is no impact on the General Fund.  The Utility Authority sells approximately 8,500 acre-feet of water in an average year.  Achieving a twenty percent reduction in water use would reduce water purchases by 1,700 acre-feet, which represents a reduction of approximately $2,000,000 in water purchase expenditures. Conversely, water revenues will be reduced by approximately $2,900,000. As a portion of sewer revenues are calculated based on water usage; if the twenty percent water use reduction is realized, there will be a corresponding reduction of approximately $418,000 in sewer revenues.

GENERAL PLAN RELEVANCE:

WS2 - Water Conservation Goal

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